Ohio State’s trip to Indiana comes with more weight than a typical Big Ten game, and the setup is hard to ignore. The Buckeyes lost to the Hoosiers in last year’s Big Ten Championship, a result that knocked them out of contention for the top seed in the College Football Playoff. Since then, this one has clearly been on the calendar.
The rankings tell the story. Ohio State enters at No. 5 with one loss, while Indiana is No. 7 and still unbeaten. It’s the kind of matchup that has the feel of something bigger than a regular-season date, even if the Hoosiers’ recent play has left some room for doubt.
Indiana has gotten by in its last two games against Northwestern and Nebraska, but not cleanly. The Hoosiers won those games by a combined nine points, and both came with the look of escapes more than emphatic statements.
Still, there’s something to be said for surviving close ones, even when the opponent is struggling. This is also the first ranked team Indiana has faced all season.
Ohio State, by contrast, has already been through more. This will be the Buckeyes’ third game against a ranked opponent, and that matters.
They look like a team that’s been hardened by a tougher path. Eddrick Houston has already sent a warning to Indiana, and the Buckeyes appear eager for payback.
If you’re watching, the game is on FOX at noon as part of Big Noon Kickoff. It can also be found on the FOX Sports App, FOX One, and streamed live on Fubo TV.
The betting line reflects the same edge. According to DraftKings, Ohio State is a 3.5-point favorite, even on the road. Since the fourth-quarter collapse against Texas, the Buckeyes have looked capable of taking control on both sides of the ball, and the matchup seems to tilt their way.
Jeremiah Smith is the biggest problem on the field. The source of Ohio State’s confidence is simple: he can get open down the field, and Indiana doesn’t appear to have the corners to slow him down. On the other side, Ohio State’s defense has been better since the Illinois game, especially against the run.
The warning signs for the Buckeyes are less about talent than discipline. If they clean up the penalty issues that have bothered them, and if the starting offensive line is intact, the expectation is that they should handle this one without much trouble.
In Other News...
Ohio State Just Turned Up The Heat On Two Committed 2027 Targets
A Maryland weekend at Ohio State turned into more than just another recruiting stop, as the Buckeyes used the visit to push harder with a pair of committed 2027 prospects. Linebacker James Conrad and running back Kingston Allen both left Columbus with scholarship offers from Ohio State, adding two more names to a class that has already started to draw national attention well before the cycle gets serious.
Conrad, who is committed to Buffalo, picked up his first Power 4 offer from the Buckeyes, while Allen, a Wisconsin pledge, added Ohio State to a growing list of programs chasing him. Both are highly regarded players with strong high school rsums, and the Buckeyes are now firmly in the mix even before either one has reached the point where most recruiting battles really take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Suddenly Faces A Tougher Indiana Test Than Expected
Indiana has quietly put itself in a better position than many expected heading into its Big Ten meeting with Ohio State. The Hoosiers are mostly healthy, with tight end Andrew Barker the only long-term injured starter, and theyve also gotten a lift from the returns of defensive end Daniel Ndukwe and A.J. Harris. Those reinforcements have helped stabilize a defense that looks a lot sturdier than it did earlier in the season.
Ohio State, meanwhile, is carrying a longer injury list into the matchup, with issues along the offensive line and among several receivers and defenders. For a Buckeyes team that usually expects to dictate terms, that matters because it can complicate both protection and depth in a game where every healthy body counts. Indiana may still be the underdog, but it suddenly has the kind of availability edge that can make a November road test far less comfortable than projected. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Faces A Bigger Test Than Fans Might Think
Indiana coach Curt Cignetti knows exactly what is waiting for his team when it lines up against No. 4 Ohio State, and he spent part of the buildup acknowledging just how difficult the assignment is. With Ryan Day on the sideline and Jeremiah Smith driving the offense, the Buckeyes bring the kind of firepower and consistency that has made them one of the most reliable powers in the College Football Playoff era, and Indiana is treating the matchup like the kind of test that can expose almost any weakness.
Ohio State also appears to be getting healthier at the right time, with several starters expected back after sitting out the previous game, while Indiana recently regained defensive back A.J. Harris. That sets up a game with more than enough talent on both sides to make things interesting, but the larger question is whether Indiana can withstand the Buckeyes long enough to turn it into the kind of contest Cignetti believes it needs to be. [Read more 🡒]